


hopelessly devoted to you

by bevioletskies



Series: fic prompts & drabbles [9]
Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, First Dance, Fluff, Oaths & Vows, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Wedding Rings, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-07-12 02:05:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15985292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bevioletskies/pseuds/bevioletskies
Summary: “Anyways…we’ve been through a lot together. But I’m not too worried about the future. I know that whatever life throws my way, I got someone I can always count on, someone who can always count on me. And maybe to kid-me, the kid that didn’t care about, y’know, the future, or anything, really, it sounds pretty boring, but to adult-me? Sounds like I’ve got the best deal - and the best partner - in the entire universe.”(Anonymous fic prompt: Wedding with white dress, veil, vows, rings, the kiss, and the first dance)





	hopelessly devoted to you

**Author's Note:**

> There are some vague mentions of events that took place in _Avengers: Infinity War_ , so **spoiler warning**. Fic title is from the song [Hopelessly Devoted To You](https://open.spotify.com/track/5QgFvAiE7oGCBLt20wYYb4?si=B0OimNKwQNKlAJ3USWvHIQ) from Grease as sung by Olivia Newton-John.

Peter proposed to Gamora one week to the day after they returned from the “other place”, as everyone was calling it (the Guardians had developed an aversion to the word “soul”, recoiling at what it had cost them). The moment the words left his lips, he instantly regretted it - not about the idea of marrying her, he could _never_ regret the idea of marrying her - but the suddenness of his proposal; it almost felt inappropriate to ask. Everyone was still traumatized, recovering in short-lived bursts, taking one step forward and five steps back. Gamora, unsurprisingly, was experiencing the worst of it, not that she ever let it show. Peter couldn’t imagine she wanted to undergo the stress of a wedding on top of everything else she was dealing with, the weight on her shoulders, the sweat on her brow, the heaviness in her heart. He prepared to take it back, to apologize for, once again, jumping without thought of the consequences.

“Yes,” Gamora said, and that was that.

Now, it was a few months later and the day was here. It wasn’t so much that they had finished planning the wedding that they were finished _with_ planning it. Gamora, for all her usual insistence on precise details and long-term considerations, grew tired of the whole process. She wasn’t inclined toward a splashy affair with flower arrangements the size of her torso and a dress that cost more than the Benatar’s repair bill. Peter just wanted to finally start calling her his wife, and was ready to take the shortest path to get there.

“Will you stop fussing already? You look fine,” Nebula grumbled. Gamora glanced in her reflection, over her shoulder, to see her sister standing in the doorway, arms folded across her chest. She smiled.

“That might be the kindest thing you’ve ever said to me,” Gamora said lightly, turning to fully face her. “Come on, Nebula. You know how much it means to Peter, to get married in his hometown, the place he still holds dear after all this time because of his mother. It would be disrespectful of me to look anything less than perfect, which I guess is...this.”

“A _dress_ , though.” Nebula pursed her lips distastefully, her eyes slowly moving up and down as she took inventory of Gamora’s unusually feminine appearance. “And a _veil_? You look like the cake you refused to have.”

Gamora turned back to the mirror with a resigned, but agreeable sigh, tugging slightly on the tight waist for what had to be the hundredth time. “You might have a point. It doesn’t suit me, but it’s also no hardship. Need I remind you of the training corsets we wore as children? The buckles, the cold metal, the leather straps? All so we could learn how to breathe while we fight. That kind of burden, that life, it’s all behind us. No more.”

“No more,” Nebula echoed quietly.

Then, a knock on the doorframe. “Quill is pacing incessantly and won’t stop mumbling to himself,” Drax complained, looking immensely uncomfortable in a pressed white shirt and crooked tie. “For all our sakes, I hope you’re ready.” He paused. “You look ridiculous.”

Gamora rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “You flatter me, Drax. And yes...I’m ready.”

Though Peter had gone to church on Sundays with his mother as a child, he’d chosen a different kind of wedding venue entirely. They were in a converted barn on the outskirts of St. Charles, Missouri, the kind romanticized by many but used practically by few, its red paint peeling away on the outside, sunlight streaming in through the cracks of the imperfect rafters. Mantis had wound fairy lights around the support beams and placed tea lights along the makeshift aisle, but aside from that, there were no other decorations to speak of.

Opposite of the entryway, backlit by the partially open barn doors, Gamora’s gaze immediately went to Peter in his off-the-rack tuxedo, chatting quietly with the pastor, a family friend of his grandfather’s (who, to Peter’s dismay, had passed just two years ago). He turned at the sound of her footsteps, his face softening as he took in her appearance for the first time, mouth falling open a little in awe as it was oft to do. Gamora beamed almost shyly in return; after all these years, it was still hard to believe anyone could be so openly fond of her.

The other Guardians (aside from Nebula, who followed her in) were stood by Peter, surprisingly quiet and devoid of snark. There was a small bar-height table by Kraglin at the end of the line with three items arranged carefully on its surface - the yaka arrow, the Zune, and the _Awesome Mix Vol. 1_ cassette tape, the only thing that remained of Meredith’s Walkman.

Gamora walked carefully down the marked path, unused to the amount of fabric shifting around her ankles. Peter held out his hand for her to take the moment she was within reach, guiding her to a stop right in front of him. She instantly noticed an uncharacteristically nervous tremble in his fingers and his bottom lip. “Guess we should keep this short and sweet,” he chuckled. “Gotta head out in the morning for that job on the other side of the galaxy.”

“You sure do live interesting lives, Mister Quill,” the pastor commented with a laugh on his own. “Shall we start with your vows?”

“Yeah, I, um...yeah.” Peter let go of Gamora to pat the breast pocket of his suit jacket, only to shake his head. “Actually, I’ve read ‘em over enough times, I think I’m just gonna say what I feel.” He grinned his signature lopsided grin, and Gamora was half-charmed, half-worried that he’d indulged in a little drink for the nerves before getting dressed. “Growing up, I never really thought a ton about what I wanted to be when I was older. I mean, I had the usual kid dreams - rockstar, astronaut, pirate - but I was always just a go-with-the-flow kinda guy. Same thing when I was a Ravager, I just went along with what everyone else was doing. But once I left them behind, I really wasn’t sure what my next move was gonna be. If I was gonna float on by myself for the rest of my life like I always did. But part of me didn’t like that. I like being around people, and I missed having someone to talk to. My mom...Yondu. And it’s like someone heard my thoughts, ‘cos the day I left that life behind, you came along.”

“We had a pretty rough start, you and me. Tried to kill each other, landed in prison, the usual,” Peter continued, smirking at the memory. The pastor looked mildly alarmed. “But once we sorted out our differences, you became so incredibly important to me. You’re my best friend, my co-captain...my girl. The person I can talk to about anything, no matter what. The one who helped me figure out what I was gonna do with my life, who I wanted to spend it with. But you also don’t take any of my crap, and you shouldn’t,” he added with a watery laugh. “I say and do some pretty stupid stuff sometimes. You keep my feet on the ground, sometimes literally.”

“Anyways…we’ve been through a lot together. But I’m not too worried about the future. I know that whatever life throws my way, I got someone I can always count on, someone who can always count on me. And maybe to kid-me, the kid that didn’t care about, y’know, the future, or anything, really, it sounds pretty boring, but to adult-me? Sounds like I’ve got the best deal - and the best partner - in the entire universe.”

Gamora had to bite her lip to stop herself from crying, her eyes welling up with emotion. Peter’s eyes were shining with unshed tears as well, nodding for her to begin. “Growing up in the circumstances that I did, with the company that I kept - with one exception - " her eyes briefly went to Nebula “ - it shouldn’t be surprising that love and acceptance were, in my mind, unattainable. Abstract concepts, for children and for fantasy. Shallow...saccharine. Meant only for people who thought themselves romantics, people who had time to really get to know one another. I was none of those things.”

“Like you, I was trying to escape my life. _Unlike_ you, I thought I knew what was going to happen after. That I was going to survive, but not really live. Maybe die months, weeks, _days_ after running away,” Gamora added with a sad smile. “I’ll admit, I didn’t think much of you when we first met. You were just another adversary to me. It wasn’t until Knowhere that I truly began to understand you...to know you...eventually come to love you. I can’t pinpoint a moment, a memory, in which I knew I did. But with all the cliches in the world, the ones I rejected and wrote off as fiction...I began to understand every single one of them.”

“I’ve been jealous of people who look at you the wrong way, or people who look at you for too long. I’ve fought for you, for us. I’ve done things that surprised me, said things I would have never told anyone else. I’ve let you into my life so we can share it together...a life where it’s about more than just surviving. I see the universe with new eyes, a renewed hope for the future, _our_ future, and I don’t think it would be the same without you.”

By now, Mantis and Kraglin were clinging to each other, watery-eyed, while Drax, Rocket, and Groot were more stoic, but still noticeably moved. Nebula’s expression had been indecipherable ever since Gamora indirectly mentioned her, but she’d never been an easy read in the first place.

“If we have no objections - ” the pastor briefly glanced at the others, who all vehemently shook their heads “ - we’ll move on to the exchanging of the rings.”

Groot crouched briefly to open the small satchel at his feet, digging through its contents. Once he found what he was looking for, his branches snaked out, coming to a stop in front of Peter and Gamora - two small velvet boxes, ready for them to take. Gamora’s hands were comparatively steadier than Peter’s, sliding his ring on first. When she noticed the continual tremble in his arm, she held his wrist in a gentle, but firm grip, guiding him as he put her ring on her finger. He smiled in silent gratitude.

The two of them took a moment to admire their rings side-by-side, rings that had somehow become the most arduous part of the entire planning process. Peter’s ring was far simpler than hers, silver in color and square in shape with a thin groove all the way around, set with two red diamonds between perpendicular ridges that reminded him of his mask. Gamora’s ring was silver as well but less traditional in appearance, a thin sword wrapped around her finger with a matching red diamond embedded in its hilt.

“If you’re ready,” the pastor said softly. They turned back to look at him, eyes wide with anticipation. “By the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife!”

A tinny-sounding version of the wedding march began to play through the Zune-attached speakers, and the Guardians exploded with whoops and cheers of unbridled joy. Peter swept Gamora into his arms, kissing her with everything he had. She wrapped her arms around his middle, pulling his front flush against hers, deepening the kiss, then pulled away before the pastor could protest indecency. Still, Peter brought her back in to kiss the crown of her head, holding her close as they turned on their heels to face the others, matched unabashed grins on their faces.

“So...dunno about you guys, but I’m super hungry,” Peter announced. Gamora was unsurprised to find that being married to Peter did not, in any way, lessen her urge to roll her eyes at him. If anything, she could see it happening with far more frequency in the future... _their_ future.

Dinner was short and sweet, just like the ceremony. Peter ordered takeout from his favorite local diner, a place he was delighted to discover was still around. Though the others were mostly unfamiliar with Terran food, it was a welcome palate compared to their usual of ration packets and whatever was cheap at the latest bar Rocket insisted on visiting between jobs.

After dinner was over, Gamora knew there was one last wedding tradition that Peter would never want to miss. He didn’t care for toasts that rambled on for far too long, or tossing the bouquet (not that Gamora had one to begin with), or silly games that made everyone vaguely uncomfortable with how intimate they could be. No, this was a tradition that was obvious to anyone who knew Peter.

“Ready for our first dance as husband and wife?” He held out his hand, thankfully far steadier than it had been an hour ago.

“I guess the others will have to wait.” She placed her hand in his, allowing him to pull her to her feet.

They walked out to the middle of the barn, the moonlight peeking through the rafters, casting a soft glow on both their faces. Peter nodded at Rocket to start the music. He grinned at Gamora’s mildly surprised expression once the song began. “Song choice okay with you?”

“More than okay,” she laughed, allowing him to lead her in slow, deliberate circles, their faces so close that their noses were nearly touching. With his hands at the small of her back and hers on his waist, they were sturdier, surer of themselves, than they had been all night. “It’s been a while since we’ve listened to this one. Five years, in fact.”

“Figured it couldn’t be anything else,” Peter shrugged. “So...you feel any different? Now that we’re married?”

“Not really,” Gamora admitted. “I always thought it was more symbolic than anything else.”

“Can’t forget those tax benefits,” Peter joked. “And that insurance package you had your eye on ever since the hospital incident on Parthea?”

“If you had just told them we were family - ”

“ - I was so hopped up on meds, I was tryna make out with you in the waiting room, I don’t think they’d buy you were my adoptive sister - ”

“ - you always try to make out with me regardless, Peter, but my point is - ”

“ - hey, we’re starting to sound like an old married couple. I guess we always have, but now we’re halfway there,” he grinned. Gamora huffed, giving him her second most impressive eyeroll of the night. “Just gotta grow old together first.”

She couldn’t help but smile at that, the tension leaving her shoulders. “You’re right. Now we can look forward. And I don’t mean tomorrow’s mission, but...whatever the rest of our lives will be. We got a second chance at life. Let’s not waste it.”

“Did you have something in mind?” he asked.

“Actually...no.” Even Gamora looked surprised at her own answer. “All my life, I’ve either been running or hiding. It took me _years_ to finally break free from his control, only for him to take me back again, _use_ me again. And now, aside from whatever enemies we’ve made along the way...I have no reason to look over my shoulder. To check every corner I turn.” She smiled, her eyes glossy. “I’m not saying we’re never going to struggle again. We still have to live from payment to payment, risk our lives on even the simplest of missions, mostly because Rocket can't resist a good fight. But for the first time...I’m not worried. I know we can figure it out together. Whatever ‘it’ may be.”

Peter pulled her even closer, wrapping his arms fully around her waist, his nose grazing her hair. “I know what you mean. Well, sorta. After losing Mom, I...I didn’t know if I was ever gonna have a family again. Or if I was just gonna be uncertain about everything for the rest of my life. But having the Guardians, having _you_...I lost Yondu, and I still think about him all the time. Wondering what it’d be like if he were here with us. But _you’re_ my family. And I’m not worried, either. Just...really lookin’ forward to what’s next.”

Gamora glanced briefly over Peter’s shoulder, her fingers still burrowed beneath his jacket, around his waist, comforted by his familiar stance, his warmth. Rocket and Groot were squabbling over the last piece of apple pie, Mantis was cooing and taking photos of Peter and Gamora’s first dance while Drax watched on with a mildly disgruntled expression, and Kraglin was eyeing Nebula apprehensively, unsure of how much small talk - if any was even _possible_ \- was going to result in a knife to his throat.

She turned back to look up at Peter. “I love you,” she said simply.

He smiled. “I love you, too,” he said, and that was that.

_Free, on my own is the way I used to be...but since I met you baby, love's got a hold on me…_

_Fooled around and fell in love...I fooled around and fell in love, oh yes I did..._

**Author's Note:**

> I'll admit, this prompt went a little bit against my own instincts since my headcanon is that a) Peter and Gamora would not bother getting married due to not needing legal affirmation of their relationship and b) if they _did_ get married, I always imagined Gamora in a jumpsuit like [this one](http://thecoordinatedbride.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/The-Coordinated-Bride-Wedding-White-Bridal-Jupmsuit-2-Azzi-and-Osta.jpg) (comic!Gamora does love her capes) instead of a traditional white dress. I'm happy to write this prompt, though, and I love seeing other people's headcanons!
> 
> Some visuals: [Peter's tuxedo](http://wholesaletuxedorentals.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Burgandy-maroon-tuxedo-black-pants.jpg), [Gamora's dress](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/46/55/86/465586ba2f7e4b27987e7372f947df98.jpg) (but with a floor-length hem), [Peter's ring](https://30d01f9adcdd9ca8bb29-e7821b1789d66a252f67999ba68e5823.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/two-stone-diamond-comfort-fit-band-for-him-with-ruby-in-14K-white-gold-FDMR1163GRUDR-NL-WG.jpg), [Gamora's ring](https://d1990pel2lso3m.cloudfront.net/public/product/A18461XKB.jpg) (but with a red diamond), and I'm sure you're familiar with their [first dance song](https://open.spotify.com/track/2hE5Lm5XOHR4t3xlhIFauP?si=gcodKEqjSxiRa0snhsCXeQ)!
> 
> You can read this fic on [tumblr](http://bevioletskies.tumblr.com/post/178091493504/movieverse-post-avengers-4-starmora-prompt) if you'd like, and I currently take Peter/Gamora and Scott/Hope fic prompts, including those for my own fic 'verses, [twenty questions](https://archiveofourown.org/series/823920) and [everybody wants to rule the world](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12841176). Next prompt is coming next Friday, followed by part one of my newest AU on the Friday after that. Thank you so much for reading, comments and kudos would be much appreciated, and I hope you enjoyed :)


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